The Steampunk capital of New Zealand is a vibrant town with a tiny Victorian precinct and a thriving penguin colony. Located on the South Island, about an hour and a quarter from Dunedin, on the coast of northern Otago, Oamaru’s old town is charming and quaint.
You really only need one day here, maybe the evening before if you want to explore some of the food scene, but don’t stay too long. Here is what to do with one day in Oamaru…
9:00am: head to the tiny cafe on Tees Street for a yummy brekkie and a caffeinated beverage. The cafe is flooded with light and is the perfect spot to begin your day.
10:00am: Wander down to the Steampunk HQ, a unique museum dedicated to the futuristic once upon a time. The cavernous building can be chilly but don’t let that put you off… the sculptures and the ingenuity behind the interactive exhibits is spectacular. Do not miss The Portal (I’ll let you discover it yourself) and go for a spin on the organ pipes. You might yet unearth the musician in you.
11:00am: Explore the Victorian precinct, a small block of limestone sculptors, secondhand bookstores, art galleries, and more. If you’re the curious sort, you can easily spend a few hours here wandering and chatting with the bookbinders, artists, and baristas. Artist Donna Demente is a famous local; her gallery, the Grainstore Gallery, is a don’t-miss destination. If you’re in on a Sunday, don’t miss the tiny farmers market, chock full of local produce and baked goods.
12:30pm: Step into the Scotts Brewery for lunch and a brew tour. Settle in on the patio with a view over the harbour and park. Find out more about brewery tours here.
2:00pm: On your way out of the brewery, step into Scotland at the New Zealand Whisky Collection, home to an interesting collection of local whiskies that were rescued from a warehouse. The company isn’t currently distilling but does offer tastes or drams of the products they do have. (They hope to start their own distilling soon.)
3:00pm: Head into the new town for a cheese tasting at the Whitestone Cheese Factory. Don’t miss the creamy, to-die-for Lindis Pass Brie or the smelly and bold Moeraki Blue (which is amazeballs in risotto — ask me for my recipe ;)).
4:30pm: Head down to the harbour for a blue penguin with the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. A summer afternoon tour will take you behind the scenes of the colony, where you will get to see the nests and maybe even a penguin nesting. If you happen to be there in the winter, the late afternoon is when the penguins return to shore from a day at sea. Book a tour here.
7:00pm: Drive out to Bushy Beach Reserve (summertime) and walk five minutes to the viewing hide. From here, you can spot the rarest penguin in the world, the yellow-eyed penguin, as it returns from a day fishing. Do not approach these penguins on the beach and after 3pm stay off the beach. These penguins are very shy and might not return to their nest if they spot a human in their path.
8:00pm: Enjoy dinner at one of Oamaru’s leading restaurants. Local favourites include Star and Garter, Fat Sally’s Pub (which also hosts a Wednesday night pub quiz), The Last Post, or Loan & Merc. If you’re feeling up for a bit of a drive, head 20 minutes south to Moeraki for dinner at Fleur’s Place, one of the best local restaurants on the South Island.
Are you Oamaru local? What did I miss? Anything you think needs to be on this list? Add it in the comments below!
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